A Fireside Chat

with Steve Garnaas-Holmes, pastor, poet, musician, and retreat leader

Occurred on Tuesday, December 14, 2021

On Tuesday, December 14, Rev. Allen Ewing-Merrill, Executive Director of The BTS Center, shared a lunchtime Fireside Chat with Steve Garnaas-Holmes, pastor, poet, musician, retreat leader, and the author and curator of the popular blog Unfolding Light.

For almost 20 years, Garnaas-Holmes has been sharing almost-daily reflections rooted in a contemplative, Creation-centered spirituality, often inspired by his regular practice of walking in the woods.

In poems, parables, psalms, thoughts, and the odd weather report, Steve invites readers into a spirit of presence, compassion, justice, and delight. Though these writings are rooted in the Christian story, the reader will hear in them melodies of many traditions. Steve says, “Unfolding Light is for anyone who wants to be a part of God’s healing of the world.” Recently the website has expanded to include some of the worship resources and original music that Steve has written during his four decades of ministry.

“I help people to live with heart, connect with God, and practice gentleness, gratitude, trust, courage, and love,” Steve says in an interview published in Hallelujah! Interviews with American Christian Poets. “A lot of poetry I write is essentially prayer. I think poetry and prayer are the same thing. In that sense, I don’t really write it for an audience, only for God.”

He adds, “Part of the wonder of poetry is the possibility of conveying that wonder to somebody else. Through the poem, someone else might join in the conversation, with a different set of perceptions and questions or insight and experience. Somehow their contribution to the conversation enriches me in the same way someone else’s prayer enriches me, even if I’m not aware of their prayer.”

In addition to his poetry and prayers, Steve is widely appreciated as a musician. One of his best known songs is the Pentecost hymn, “Spirit of God,” which begins:

Spirit of God, bright Wind, breath that bids life begin,

blow as you always do; create us anew.

Give us the breath to sing, lifted on soaring wing,

held in your hands, borne on your wings.

Alleluia! Come, Spirit, Come!

We enjoyed hearing some of Steve’s poems, and a wide-ranging conversation, midway through the Christian Season of Advent, about contemplative practice and creative practice, about the power of poetry and music, about ministry and the spiritual life — and had a few laughs along the way.

Meet Our Guest

Steve Garnaas-Holmes is a pastor, poet, musician, retreat leader, and the author and curator of the popular blog Unfolding Light, where he records almost-daily reflections rooted in a contemplative, Creation-centered spirituality, often inspired by a practice of walking in the woods. For four decades, Steve served United Methodist churches in Montana and New England. From 1975 until 2013, he was a writer and performer with the Montana Logging and Ballet Company, a comedy and political satire group that performed around the United States, recorded several albums, and regularly appeared on NPR’s Sunday Weekend Edition. Now living in Maine and enjoying retirement from local church ministry, Steve continues to write and lead retreats on prayer, poetry, contemplative practice, and renewing our language about God. Steve and his wife Beth have three grown sons and three grandchildren, whom they love dearly.

Meet Our Host

Rev. Dr. Allen Ewing-Merrill (he/him) serves as Executive Director of The BTS Center, a private operating foundation in Portland, Maine, building on the legacy of the former Bangor Theological Seminary. Ordained in the Methodist tradition, Allen served local churches for 20 years, and as founding Executive Director of Hope Acts, a Portland, Maine nonprofit focusing on housing asylum seekers and helping immigrants succeed. A graduate of the University of Maine and of Boston University School of Theology, Allen completed a Doctor of Ministry program through Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC and Wesley House, Cambridge UK. In addition to nonprofit and congregational leadership, he has extensive experience in advocacy, direct action, and faith-based organizing around issues of justice and equity.